From the Dean’s Desk….
Dear SCLA’ers:
Having written from time to time about your decisions about pursuing a graduate or professional
degree, I understand the complexity of your choices. Undergraduate debt, the desire to join the
workforce, uncertainty over career choice and a multiplicity of new fields and programs all combine to
make your decisions challenging. However, my recent work with several students who had made the
choice to pursue graduate study brought to light another challenge…which should NOT be difficult at all:
“Dean Siegel, I don’t know who to ask for recommendations. I don’t think any of my professors really
remember me.” I was honestly surprised, as the students in question were all excellent students with
high GPA’s, pleasant personalities, and strong motivation. But why, as seniors or recent graduates,
should they be struggling to identify professors to support their goals?
